(1) Field
The disclosed methods and systems relate to an optical connector.
(2) Description of Relevant Art
In fiber optic systems, such as fiber communications systems, light acts as the information carrier and is propagated by internal reflection through a transparent optical waveguide. Such signal paths are often used to transmit information between electrical systems, and therefore electro-optic modulators can be used to convert electrical signals to light, and opto-electric demodulators can be used to convert the light to electrical signals. Fiber optic signal paths and/or communications data links can be used, for example, when a shielded twisted pair or a coaxial cable may be undesirable due to performance criteria such as data rate, transmit length, electrical interference or noise, crosstalk, etc.
A fiber optic connector can thus mate an optical fiber mechanically and optically to other optical fibers and/or to a terminal or signal port of apparatus and equipment at the ends of the fiber optic signal paths. Fiber optic connectors are fabricated in a wide range of types and sizes for different applications. One fiber optic connector is a so-called fiber optic “SMA” connector that conforms to certain optical characteristics such as insertion loss characteristics, and standard mechanical characteristics such as thread sizes and diameters of connector mating regions. It can thus be difficult to ensure the mating integrity of fiber optic SMA connectors. Furthermore, in systems that include multiple SMA connectors that should be coupled to one of multiple different fiber optic cables, it can be difficult to determine the corresponding fiber optic cables and connectors because standard SMA fiber optic connectors generally do not include means, such as a key, to prevent mating with an incorrect SMA compatible receptacle.
Vibration forces can also loosen SMA connectors to result in intermittent attenuation or loss of the signal propagating through the connector. A safety wire can be used such that the fiber SMA connector includes an opening and the safety wire can be threaded through the SMA connector opening and through an opening in a mating receptacle or mounting structure to which the connector can be attached. The safety wire can be twisted and/or wound to prevent the SMA connector from loosening from the receptacle.
Some non-SMA type single fiber connectors include a ratchet mechanism to prevent the connector from separating from its mounting structure and also include an alignment key to allow the connector to be coupled to a receptacle having a mating keyhole. These connectors are not compatible with mechanical and optical characteristics of standard fiber optic SMA connectors, are relatively expensive, and typically may not be used in more than one application or product.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,809 describes one electro-optical system that is a fuel measuring system that includes a module adapted for mounting to a fuel storage tank with an electrostatically shielded enclosure. A processor element in the enclosure can be adapted for coupling to a fuel sensor in the tank. A communication interface is provided for coupling data through the enclosure between the processor and a processor external to the package through a dielectric transmission media passing through the enclosure. A power supply for the processor element is also disposed in the enclosure and is adapted to generate power for the processing element in response to optical input energy from a source external to the enclosure. An energy interface can couple the optical energy through dielectric transmission media passing through the enclosure. With such an arrangement, both data to the electro-statically shielded processor and energy to the electro-statically shielded power supply are coupled to the electro-statically shielded enclosure through dielectric media. Accordingly, the fuel tank can be electrically isolated from electrical disturbances external to the enclosure and the conductive wires that transmit the electrical signals, where such electrical disturbances can cause a hazardous condition in the fuel tank.
The communications interface to a measurement/processor system, such as the aforementioned electro-statically shielded enclosure, can include means for accepting the one or more fiber optic connections for data and energy coupling as provided herein. Existing connectors provide connection for a single optical fiber, hence requiring multiple connections for data and energy. Further numbers of connectors can be used to provide redundancy of data and/or energy. Additionally, the measurement/processor systems are often specifically configured with measurement devices to perform a conversion from optical to electrical energy.